Japan beat Iceland 3-1 in friendly

The J-League's former top goal scorer Ryoichi Maeda helped Japan beat Iceland 3-1

with an early goal on Friday in a warm-up game for a World Cup qualifier next week.

The Asian Cup holders needed only two minutes to open the scoring when defender

Tomoaki Makino, after exchanging straight passes with Yoshito Okubo, produced a

cross from the left for Maeda to score with his head.

Japan controlled the game throughout the first half, never giving the visitors a scoring

chance.

Iceland played more aggressively after the break, but it was Japan who scored in the

53rd minute with second-half substitute Kengo Nakamura passing to Jungo Fujimoto

for his first goal for the national team.

In the 79th minute, Makino also scored his first goal for the national side, firing in a

right-footed shot.

The goal finished the game and gave Iceland's new coach, the Swede Lars Lagerback,

a losing debut.

Iceland saved some face when forward Arnor Smarason pulled one back in injury time

from a penalty.

"It was the first game in 2012 and I wanted to start with a win. Everybody showed a

good performance today, although my players were physically not in their 100 percent,"

said Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni.

"I hope that we can keep the momentum," added the Italian.

Meanwhile, Fujimoto said after his first goal in 11 games: "I'm happy…For me, this is my

start."

On Wednesday Japan will take on Uzbekistan at home in the last game of the Asian

third World Cup qualifying round in Group C. Both Japan and Uzbekistan have already

reached the next stage.

Iceland will play Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Albania and Cyprus in the European

Group E round, starting in September this year.